Royd confident but respect Triangle's '˜firepower'

Beaten in last year’s showpiece game by Booth, they go into the contest without a couple of key men but in good form and with a fine home record.

Cricket chairman and first team player Jacob Travis said: “We are coming into the game off a couple of good wins.

“The quarter final (against Oxenhope) was very closely fought and we were on a massive high after winning a game we perhaps shouldn’t have won.

“Then we have performed exceptionally well against Warley and Oxenhope in the last two league games.”

Travis said that although Royd had moved above Triangle into fourth place in the Premier Division last Saturday they would would still go into the game as underdogs.

That was because they would be without top all-rounder Jack Earle (torn cartilage) and in-form opening batsman Matthew Scholefield (holiday).

Travis added: “We expect Triangle to be at full strength and we all know the firepower they have, particularly with the bat.

“Despite this we’ll go in full of confidence having already beaten them this season, coming off the back of some good performances and with a strong record in recent semi finals.”

Travis said there were similarities between Sunday’s rivals. “We both enjoy a drink, don’t take our cricket too seriously and struggle to get our strongest team out every week,” he said.

“If both clubs could field their strongest 11 week in week out we’d both be much higher up.

“We get on well with the Triangle lads and we are looking forward to the game.”

Warley host Sowerby St Peter’s in the other game and the home side will be fancied by many to progress after inflicting a first cup defeat on Booth since 2015 away in the last round.

Sowerby are not to be taken lightly after easy wins over Mount, Outlane and Southowram so far but they do rely on two bowlers - Martin Schofield and Matthew Hoyle - to bowl most of their overs on a Saturday.